Eversharp pencils first appeared in 1913, the brainchild of Charles Rood Keeran. In 1915 he signed an agreement with the Wahl adding machine company who, by some very dubious practice, forced him out of the company within two years. Four years later, the company was producing 35,000 pencils a day, had sold over 12,000,000, and Keeran was peniless.
The pencils were such a huge success that, in America, any mechanical pencil was often referred to as an Eversharp, in much the same way that early vacuum cleaners were collectively known as 'hoovers' in the U.K.
Almost all the pencils were silver or gold plated with a few solid Silver models but occasionally a woodgrained or coloured finish turns up, such as this 'Lapis Blue' pencil. It is a bright, vibrant mottled blue, very similar to the 'Lapis Lazuli' colour that Parker used in some 1920s Duofolds. The Eversharp is probably from the same period.
The pencil operates by turning the finial, which is white metal, probably nickel silver. The Eversharp name is imprinted on the barrel, picked out in gold.
The pencil is in outstanding condition throughout. The colour is really bright, shows no fading or discolouration, and has an excellent shine.
The Box is in good, clean condition and contains the Eversharp pencil instruction leaflet, along with some spare leads.
Due to the success and longevity of the brand, Eversharp pencils are not particularly rare but a coloured model in such excellent condition is extremely hard to find, and is very collectable.